Back support mats



Dec. 18, 1962 L. PROPUS 3,069,203

BACK SUPPORT MATS Filed Nov. 25, 1960 /NVENTOR' Laws PFOPUS United States Patent 3,069,203 BACK SUPPORT MATS Louis Propus, 6159 Durocher St., Montreal,

' Quebec, Canada Filed Nov. 25, 1960, Ser. No. 71,680 3 Claims. (Cl. 297+-453) This invention relates to back support mats and particularly to back support mats readily fitted on the drivers seat of automobiles, beds and davenports etc., to provide good posture and comfort.

The invention consists essentially in the provision of back support mat consisting of a series of wood slats mounted on tapes of webbing in which the wood slats are slotted horizontally for a major portion of their length between solid portions, giving a degree of flexibility to that portion of the slats which take the full weight of the body.

The object of the invention is to provide a back support mat of body supporting wood slats in which the wood slats are slotted to give flexibility to the slats in the body supporting area.

A further object of the invention is to provide a back support mat which provides a high degree of ventilation between the seat and the supported body.

A further object of the invention is to provide a back support mat which will, while supporting a considerable weight, be less destructive on the material forming the seat surface.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following specification and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a seat with the back supporting mat installed in position.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the seat portion of the back support mat.

FIGURE 3 is a front end view of the back support mat seat section shown in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged plan view of one end of one of the slats of the back support mat partly broken away to expose the slots and the securing staples of the webbing tapes holding the slats in spaced relation to each other.

FIGURE 5 is a vertical section on the line 5--5 of FIGURE 4.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 5 refers to an automobile seat or any other type of seat on which it would be advantageous to fit a back support mat of the type disclosed in the application.

The type of back support mat hereinafter described consists of two sections, the back section 6 and the seat section 7. The back section 6 of the back support mat is formed of a series of slats 8 held in spaced apart relationship to each other by two straps 9 of strong webbing material. Each of the slats 8 are slotted inwardly at 10 from their ends for a distance exceeding the width of the straps 9. The slots 10 are cut in a plane parallel with the fiat sides of the slats and midway of the thickness of the slats. The top slat 8a is of greater width than the slats 8 and has anchored to it the securing straps 11 of strong webbing material which are draped over the back of the seat 5 and secured to the seat in any suitable manner.

The slats 8 and 8a are secured to the two straps 9 by means of staples '12 passing through the lower portion 13 of the slotted ends of the slats and partly into the upper portion 14 of the slotted ends of the slats to securely clinch the straps 9 in the slots. In this manner the staples are not apparent from the top surface of the back support mat and therefore can cause no harm to the clothes of the user.

The seat section 7 of the back support mat is assembled in the same manner as is the back section 6 except that there is no top slat such as the slat 8a. It is therefore composed of a series of identical slats 15 as shown in FIGURE 2 and assembled together on the straps 9 fitted in the end slots 10 and secured together by the staples 12.

Each of the slats 15 is slotted at 16 over a major portion of the length of the slats, and the, slots 16 are separated from the end slots 10 by relatively short solid portions 17. These slots 16 are approximately in the same plane as the end slots 10 and extend through the slats from one edge to the other. The greater portion of the length of the slats 15, therefore, consists of relatively thin members 18 and 19 supported between the solid portions 17 and are capable of'being individually flexed to an extent not possible with a solid slat.

When the seat section 7 is seated upon, the relative thin top member 18 of each slat 15 will flex in the direction of the arrows A to a degree depending upon the weight distribution over the area of the seat section. The back section 6 of the back support mat does not have the same concentration of load upon it. However, the slats 8 can be slotted in the same manner as the slats 15 are slotted at 16 to give a degree of flexing of the outward facing surface of the slats when a person leans backwards on the seat.

The relatively narrow but not too close spacing between the slats of both the back section 6 and the seat section 7 ensures that each of the sections 6 and 7 flex on the securing straps 9 to take up a contour on the surfaces of the seat 5 which will give a maximum of support to the user on the seat portion and back portion of the seat 5 without any pinching action between the slats. The slats 15, extending as they do, over a major portion of the length of the slats provides a degree of ventilation between the seat 5 and the body of the user which is not possible where completely solid slats are used or with solid filled pads or mats. Each section 6 and 7 of the seat saver can be rolled up on themselves into very small bulk when not in use, and can be stowed away either under the seat or in the trunk of the car.

While the back support mat has been illustrated and described as being applied to a seat form of any type, it can also be applied under a mattress to give adequate and firm support to the back of a person lying down while, at the same time, allowing a maximum of ventilation to the overlying mattress.

What I claim is:

1. A resilient, ventilating back support mat comprising: a seat portion having a plurality of elongated parallel slat-like members having slots extending therethrough between and parallel to the upper and lower surfaces thereof and extending over a substantial portion of the length of said members, a back portion having a plurality of like slat-like members parallel to the first mentioned slat-like members, slots in the end portions of all of said members separated from said first mentioned slots by solid portions of said slat-like members, flexible straps extending through the slats in the end portions, means connecting said straps to each of said slat-like members, said slat-like members being spaced apart sufficiently to enable the device to be freely flexed in either direction. 5 2. A back support mat according to claim 1 further comprising means for attaching said mat to a supporting seat.

3. A back support mat according to claim 1 wherein said end portion slots have a width greater than the flexible straps to provide flexibility in the plane of the slatlike members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

